• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

WSD team plays in relative silence

Photo Gallery

WSD football team plays in relative silence

During a recent game featuring the Wisconsin School for the Deaf team, about 100 fans and players gathered at the football field in relative silence.

View Gallery

DELAVAN — For those without a hearing impairment, Firebird football is like a silent movie.

During a recent game featuring the Wisconsin School for the Deaf team, about 100 fans and players gathered at the football field in relative silence.

No chants erupted from the bleachers, rock music didn't blare from the speakers and no announcer offered commentary.

On the field, players silently clustered to slap helmets, bump chests and shove each other around. The quiet wasn't broken until the first crack of shoulder pads and helmets.

The silence wasn't the only noticeable difference.

The quarterback called no cadence. Instead, all 16 players (the Wisconsin School for the Deaf plays eight-man football instead of the traditional eleven) focused on the ball and waited for the snap.

Referees' whistles were useless, but they used them, anyway. To call penalties or stop plays, referees did whatever they could to get the attention of players. Confusion was common since most referees aren't hearing impaired and weren't able to communicate with the players without an interpreter.

Despite the complications, Wisconsin School for the Deaf football is much like high school football anywhere else in Wisconsin. The Firebirds run, pass, punt and kick field goals. And even though they might not be able to hear the crash of shoulder pads, they certainly feel the pain.

The Firebirds this season are 8-0 against both deaf and hearing teams from throughout the Midwest.

Alex Slappey, Wisconsin School for the Deaf superintendent, spoke proudly through an interpreter about the team's success and the positive effects of the football program. He coached the team in the 1980s and knows how much football means to the players.

Immersion in a non-hearing environment with others who face the same obstacles helps students grow socially and personally, Slappey said. Members of the coaching staff are hearing impaired, offering players role models and the opportunity to learn without an interpreter.

Although the team is successful, it's not all about winning.

"Football is one of the best places to learn about leadership and teamwork," Slappey said.